I'm Kelly. I love to talk about houses and anything related to them. Since you have come to this place I'm guessing you probably like to do the same. Look around here a bit, and you will find rooms and houses, ideas for entertaining, places to visit, and other randomness that my brain likes to think about. If you have a question about anything, please leave a comment. I would love to talk with you!

We’re talking about…

A Pinterest Dream House by the Sea

A few weeks ago, Aimee at Sixteen Fourteen did a post on a dream house inspired by Pinterest photos. The house she “created” was a stone house with some beautiful rooms, and I commented that it was a very neat idea and I wanted to do a beach house (thinking that would be an easy thing to do – ha!) Do you know how many different styles of beach houses there are???? Melissa at The Inspired Room did a post about a week ago on all the different interpretations of coastal style. You’ve got nautical, tropical, vintage, rustic, romantic…and the list goes on.

Because I am such a believer in homes reflecting their location, my first decision before embarking on this “easy” task was to decide where in the world would I build this dream house. At first, I thought automatically of Florida because I love the beaches there so much. But then I started looking through all the photos on Pinterest to see which rooms would be in this imaginary house, and I kept coming back to one particular architect over and over and over again…and folks – it wasn’t a Florida house.

This would be my dream house, and the gifted architect is Patrick Ahearn, whose work has been pinned many times lately. What do you think of this lovely compound? It sort of reminds me of the movie Something’s Gotta Give. Here is a view of the front of the property.

Here is the back of the house at sunset. Isn’t it wonderful with all those balconies?patrickahearn.com

Now as much I love the exterior of this home (and all of the above really does exist in a home in Edgartown, Massachusetts), I found the interior to be too formal for what I would want for a family in a house by the sea. So I looked at many of his other homes on Pinterest and have made my dream home here out of favorites from several of his firm’s projects. Just use your imagination, alright?

We would have this entry hall (but the left side would be open through the columns.)

Both of those spaces are actually in a commercial boathouse, but I really liked the nautical feel of them. The formal living area would be on the other side of the hall. (Just ignore that room beyond it. That room doesn’t exist in my dream house, and those stairs aren’t there either.) 🙂

Now here is the more casual living space. I think this is my favorite of all of the rooms his firm has done. Somehow this room has moved closer to the water than the view above shows – guess I can do that in a dream house!

Next to it would be this fabulous kitchen. Now tell me, doesn’t it look like it is similar to the one in Something’s Gotta Give?

The potting room and downstairs bath are not Patrick Ahearn’s creations (although the style works with his.) They were designed by Scott Hutton of Lyman Perry’s firm (an equally gifted group of architects) with interior design by Elizabeth Corker of Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Near the back of the downstairs space, you would find this stairway up to the bedrooms. Look at that millwork!

When you get upstairs, there is a bedroom for the boys. The bedrooms are where I really had to leave Patrick Ahearn and find another architect (sorry Mr. Ahearn, but there were very few bedrooms I liked on Pinterest from your firm.)

Here is another version of the exact same room I found on Pinterest. Isn’t that funny? And I had actually pinned both rooms! I would take the bed from the photo below and put it in the bedroom above. I am not a big fan of the quilt on the bed and yo-yo quilt pillow on the chair…like it to be simpler (but that bed IS beautiful!)

After building this imaginary house, I figured out exactly where I wanted it to go. It would be lovely on Nantucket or Martha’s Vineyard, but getting to those crowded islands is sometimes difficult. So I would plop it right down in Chatham, Massachusetts.

Chatham has a beach…. (although the water was freezing in late June!)city-data.com

I could bring myself to live there. It would be tough, but I could do it 🙂
———————————————————————–Yes, Melissa you would be kicking and screaming the whole way as we drag you, right? ha ha. I really do think that I would be happy with just the pool house. Do you think those folks would even notice me out there?
Kelly

Kelly, I love this house! I want to live here!!!! What a cool idea too to do a post on building a “imaginary” house. I agree with you on the style too, I’ve always loved these “Hamptons” style houses. They’re so beautiful and feel unique. Coastal, but still so classy.
————————————————————————-Lindsay just bring your stuff, and we will all move in! This style has always been my favorite…makes me think I am going to have to move to New England one day. Coastal and classy – that’s a good way to describe them.
Kelly

Hi Kelly! You have created the perfect home! The huge outside scared me a little, though…I guess I’m in a downsizing mode 🙂 The rooms you selected were lovely and yes, the mill work was amazing. Actually, I thought if I had those rooms they would probably have daddy-long-leg spiders in the corners! (I guess that’s the reason I haven’t been blessed with those rooms!) Somethings Gotta Give is one of my favorite movies and you captured it with those cool pictures! I would definately want to move into your pretend land!!!
———————————————————————-Kim – That house would be a fun and beautiful one, wouldn’t it? It is huge, but heck if you can afford that house and everything that goes with it, then you probably have someone who could take care of the spiders too. I love Something’s Gotta Give! Of course, when I watched It’s Complicated I loved that house too…so easily influenced! Thank you for reading and leaving your sweet words.

What a cool idea! I love this creative fantasy world they call the internet! I also love how you included pics of the area to give some context to your dream house! neat stuff!
———————————————————————Sarah – Isn’t the internet wonderful for getting ideas out of our head and into “reality”? (well sort of) I am happy you liked the dream house with its “rooms” So glad you found my blog!
Kelly

Oh yes, I’m right there with you – I love everything about your dream house. Mmmmmmm… although since we are empty nesters and have come to love our very small, very old house I think I might try to cut down on the floor space. We’ve been looking at some very sweet (and reminiscent of your dream house) wee New Zealand ‘villas’. What I love is the light pouring into every room.

Keep on dreamin’ 🙂
Cath
————————————————————————–Cath – A wee New Zealand villa…sounds neat! I love all the light pouring in to those rooms too. It makes such a difference in the feel of the room to me. Hope you and your husband are having safe travels. Thank you for reading and commenting again!
Kelly

Ahhh, yes, count me in! Just gotta grab my purse and sunglasses and I’ll be ready to go. These photos are all so gorgeous. Wish I could transport myself into one of them right now! 🙂
———————————————————————–Julia – I would love to just transport myself to a house like this too…or even a tiny one like this. After “dreaming” up this post, it reminded me how much I love this style and made me want to paint all my rooms white again….a dangerous thing to think of!
Kelly

Wow! Kelly, “your” house is gorgeous, and thanks for the shout out! I went crazy pinning these images…amazing job. 🙂
———————————————————————-Aimee – The Pinterest Dream House was a great idea! Wouldn’t that house make a good dream house? Thank you for pinning the pics from the post!
Kelly

What a fun idea! I’m going to have to do this sometime–put together my dream house.

You definitely need the play room for those chilly January nights when the beach is only good for a minute. You’ll be glad you added it : )

In response to Judy talking to her husband about you, my husband asks regularly if I’ve talked to my imaginary friends lately ; ) So glad to call you “friend”.
—————————————————————————Julianna – Hope you get to put together your dream home. You are right, the outside weather could prevent kids from playing out there. Good point. I am glad to call you “friend” too! Tell your husband just because we have not met in real life does not mean we are not real. We have most certainly met and talked online!
Kelly

Kelly,
This is so pretty. I love your version of the “dream beach house”. You’ve nailed the relaxed, casual but pretty look I’d want in a beach house.
Karen
———————————————————————-Karen – “Relaxed, casual, and pretty” are definitely the adjectives I was looking for. Glad you liked the house (even if it wasn’t real). Thank you for adding to the conversation here today!
Kelly

Wow Kelly! I can just picture you in your “dream” home, I might even come to visit (and stay, and stay, and stay….)

I wonder what the decorator was thinking when she(he?) put those quilts at the foot of that bed? It doesn’t make sense and I don’t think they even go together!

I sold my sofa Sunday! Now I’m second guessing if I want the Ikea sofa or another one…going to look around today. Also got a darling side chair (which I’ll be posting about soon).

I saw “your” red convertible VW on my street this weekend…told my husband “there’s Kelly’s car” well, let’s just say he didn’t know who or what I was talking about!

Hope your weekend was good.
———————————————————————–Judy – In that big house you could come and stay and stay all you want! You did great selling your sofa that fast! I think your Ikea sofa will be fine, but I guess it won’t hurt to check out other options. That is funny about the car. You will have to explain it to your husband, so that he “knows” who I am.
Kelly